Treasury Secretary Mahinda Siriwardana is to be given an extension of service in his post in the Finance Ministry by President Ranil Wickremesinghe following his retirement on Friday from the Central Bank.
The Sunday Times learns that Mr. Siriwardana, whose substantive position was Deputy Governor of the Central Bank, will be given a one-year extension as Secretary to the Treasury, Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Economic Stabilisation and National Policies.
The President’s Office said his valuable involvement in the talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the debt restructuring process had also been taken into consideration in granting him the extension.
Mr. Siriwardana is completing his service period as Treasury Secretary this month. He served the Central Bank for 33 years after joining as a staff officer.
“My life at the CBSL was never easy. I particularly remember the internal and external pressures, stress, and some unfair treatment that I went through at the CBSL from early 2020 in the run-up to the deep, unprecedented, and most complex economic crisis in Sri Lanka’s post-independence history,” Mr. Siriwardana said in a letter to his staff.
“I also remember some harsh criticism that I got from some segments in the CBSL on the subsequent corrective measures implemented to overcome this complex economic crisis. I believe time will decide on the appropriateness of such policies,” he added
Source: Sunday times
